Cuomo kick-starts New York offshore wind with 800 MW procurement

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the state will hold its first offshore wind auction – for 800 MW – by the end of 2018.

“This action represents another major step toward establishing a clean energy future that is secure, reliable and cost-effective,” Governor Cuomo said. “Robust offshore wind development is not only critical to meeting our clean energy and carbon reduction goals, this investment has the potential to create thousands of jobs and fuel a US$6Bn industry for New York as it combats climate change.”

The New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA) will procure approximately 800 MW of offshore wind through a solicitation issued in Q4 2018, in consultation with the New York Power Authority and the Long Island Power Authority. Awards are expected to be announced in Q2 2019. If needed, a second solicitation will be issued in 2019.

Through the solicitations, NYSERDA will procure offshore wind renewable energy certificates (ORECs) from awarded facilities. Each electric utility and other third-party suppliers of electricity serving retail customers in New York will support these new offshore wind resources through the purchase of ORECs from NYSERDA.

The New York State Offshore Wind Master Plan announced earlier this year by Governor Cuomo will guide the state in the responsible and cost-effective development of 2,400 MW of offshore wind by 2030. The Governor also directed NYSERDA to invest US$15M in clean energy workforce development and infrastructure advancement to train workers to support the growth of the offshore wind industry.

In June, NYSERDA was awarded a US$18.5M Department of Energy grant to lead the National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium. This nationwide offshore wind research and development consortium will be supported through a public-private partnership including the offshore wind industry, utilities, research laboratories, and other states.

NYSERDA will hold a technical conference to discuss topics related to the solicitation process on 23 July 2018.